


Summer's End

by JungleKiing



Series: Summer's End [2]
Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Blood and Gore, Drinking, F/F, Mild Language, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:08:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27781282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JungleKiing/pseuds/JungleKiing
Summary: Long sense forgotten, beasts and magic slumbered. Souls of the past demand retribution. History arises to be remembered. The sun goes down one final time before those of old awaken and rage their war one final time.
Relationships: Anna/Elsa (Disney)
Series: Summer's End [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1993249
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If you see something that should be tagged, speak and it will be done.

The world appeared only white. Snow covered more and more the higher up one went until everything had been blanketed in snow and ice leaving nothing but white. The bitter-cold wind threw handfuls of snow in whichever direction it pleased. Always moving, always cold. The locals called this harsh constant winter covered rock the North Mountain. Few folk and animals alike dared climb its icy peak. To do so was considered a death sentence.

Through the snow covered trees, through the expanse of ice and rock, a spec of color could be seen. The brown cloak and blue dress drew one’s attention like a beacon in the white world. The wind would soon take care of that, sending bundles of the falling snow to cover the color. Only white could survive here.

Yet despite the cold and the snow, the bundle of color trudged on, heading higher and higher up the mountain. Stumbling and slipping on ice and falling into pits of snow, but never faltering. Always moving forward and moving upward. The wind paused in it’s onslaught for only a moment.

Human. The color was human.

With her strawberry-blonde hair, or was it a red, and blue-or maybe green eyes, the girl trudged on ward, expression set in grizzled determination. She would survive this trek. A feat not many can claim.

The wind resumed it’s whipping.

_Great going, Anna!_ _You somehow managed to get yourself lost on top of the North Mountain! The freaking_ North Mountain! _How did I even end up here?_

Anna huddled further into her cloak. It did little to stop the icy caress of the wind as it howled around, taking delight in the way she shivered and froze. Despite the momentary pause earlier, the wind came back full force and nearly sent her flying off the mountain face. Thankfully she did not end up falling down the mountainside to meet and icy end. Her hat had not been so fortunate and had been sent off into the blizzard and beyond. Now her ears were burning from the cold.

_Come on, just gotta find someplace to wait out the storm. Someplace to get warm and dry, maybe? Ah, just anything to get out of the stupid wind!_

She cringed as snow blew into her face, the speed and cold making it sting as if tiny razors were sliding over her skin. With a huff of annoyance Anna moved to lean further into the rock wall on her right. The sheer drop on her left didn’t scare her nearly as much as the wind threatening to send her over it’s edge. The closer she stayed to the solid rock, the better.

One step after the other, body shaking desperately to keep any warmth within itself, Anna continued the climb. She didn’t allow her brain to think. She knew the thoughts would only lead her down a path that would have her frozen on the mountain side. Left as an icy statue for any experienced climbers to find and tell her tale of woe. She scoffed at the thought.

The wind had slowed its onslaught enough that Anna had been able to see beyond the white of the blizzard. There, barely visible even with the break in white, Anna could see a small indent in the side of the mountain. A cave? a shallow groove? She didn’t care about the particulars of it. Whatever it was held the promise of shelter, and the red-head would take whatever she could get.

“Legs move faster!” she growled at her own stiff limbs and forced her feet through the snow at a renewed pace. She couldn’t feel her feet really, and moving faster seemed almost impossible, but she made it.

Peering around the rock, Anna glanced inside. _Oh thank goodness it’s an actual cave!_ She let out a sigh of relief and took a cautious step into the cave. The red-head peered into the entrance, taking a few more steps forward as she scanned the area searching for anything that might have dwelt within. The wind seemed to huff at her reluctance before throwing her inside with a mighty gust and sealing her in the cave with the raging blizzard that held constant on the North Mountain.

“Sheesh, rude.” She rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue at the wall of white. Inside was much warmer than outside without the wind chill, but not warm enough.

“Okay, Anna, you survived this far, now next step. Making fire to not freeze to death!” She pointed a mitten clad hand in the air.

Sea-green eyes scanned around the cave. _Rock, rock, ice, lot’s of ice, piles of snow, more snow, ice, ice, large stick, more snow, more rock-wait!_ Red-hair whipped around as she quickly turned back to the large stick. She nearly squealed in joy at actually having some sort of wood here and decent sized too. She’d worry about how to set it on fire later.

Anna scampered over to the stick with new found swiftness in her frozen limps. The stick was large, about as thick as her forearm and nearly twice her height. It looked as if it were lodged in something beneath the mass of snow, or perhaps in the snow itself, but the way it sat angled up into the air suggested it wasn’t lodged in just the snow. Her sea-green gaze followed the wood from where it stuck in the snow to the end where it rested near some sort of icy column.

The blueness of the ice seemed unreal as it shimmered and shined. There was no light in the cave, save for whatever glinted off the white snow, and yet the column sparkled as if made of a gem. It stuck to the ceiling wide at the top and and flowed over the roof of the cave almost like a wave of water had fallen upward only to suddenly freeze in place. From the thick top it descended like a large icicle before it thickened out again toward the bottom and disappeared into the layers of snow.

_Beautiful._ Sea-green eyes stared at the column, lost in it’s beauty before a hard shiver reminded her of her task. Shaking her self from the cold and away from the column, Anna refocused her attention on the piece of wood. She couldn’t reach it from the ground, not even by jumping, despite her multiple attempts. Maybe approaching from the other side would help. Anna didn’t feel like trampling through a pile of snow and losing feeling in her feet again just yet.

Squaring her shoulders and straightening up, Anna turned and began to walk around the icy column to the other side where she hoped to find a way to reach the stick. Her eyes glanced once again at the beautiful shimmering ice and failed to take notice of the lump on the floor. Her foot caught on something within the snow and sent her tumbling to the snow dusted floor.

Anna shook her head as she caught herself on her hands and knees. Her sea-green eyes opened and noticed the same blue hue beneath her that the column of ice held. _Ice? I could have sworn it was stone._

A grumbling huff from behind, snapped Anna out of her thoughts. Another huff and snow was sent spraying away from the pile of it by the stick. The lump she tripped on shifted, sweeping away the clumps of white littered on the floor. Another huff, more rumbling, and the snow pile started to shake and fall. All previous thoughts of shelter and safety left Anna’s mind as she realized she was not alone in this cave.

Anna glanced to her left and quickly ducked behind two large snow-covered boulders. The panic rose in her chest and she held a fist over her heart feeling it hammer furiously in her chest. The red-head swallowed hard and carefully looked out over her hiding place.

The snow shifted again as whatever laid beneath it rose to its feet. The cave itself seemed to shift into a red hue before going back to the icy blue. The change happened too quick for Anna to be sure she even saw it.

Ice splintered and cracked sending shards spraying out around the cave. The top of the column had shattered. Sea-green eyes widened as she continued to watch the creature emerge from the snow and ice.

Huffing breaths of vapor pooled into the cool air as a large triangular head raised up from the snow. The creature moved, shifted till it stood and shook more snow an ice revealing what had been hiding underneath. White fur, pale blue scales, claws as big as her forearm, teeth that could snap her in half, the sight of it all sent terror crawling up her spine.

A velvety like wing folded down carefully against the creatures side while deep-ocean blue eyes watched the movement carefully as if the wing itself might break in a single wrong move. The creature growled in irritation and adjusted the wing again. Only the left wing, Anna noticed.

She sucked in a breath.

There embedded between the left shoulder and wing was the large stick she had been trying to reach before. Only now, Anna realized, it wasn’t a stick. It was a weapon of war, a mighty spear shot from giant crossbows mounted on high towers and movable battlements. A weapon to take down the most fearsome beasts.

A weapon to face the gods. 

Anna let out an involuntary shuddering exhale. She didn’t just walk into a cave, no, that would have been far too easy.

_You just had to walk into a Dragon’s keep. You just had to Anna-ify things and wake it up too._

The mighty dragon whipped it’s head around at the sound of her breath, staring in Anna’s direction and she quickly ducked down, planting both mitten-covered hands over her mouth to prevent any other sound from escaping. Deep-ocean eyes narrowed to slits and scanned over the back of the cave. A huff, and then another and Anna new the dragon was sniffing her out.

She shook, and not from the cold, as she waited and waited. The huffing stopped and there was a rumble. A warning growl perhaps. And then movement behind her before all fell still. Anna waited still, hoping that maybe, just maybe the dragon had left in search of food. But that giant spear, the way it had been stuck and lodged in the beasts side. Would it even be able to fly?

The silence stretched and Anna slowly removed her hands from her mouth. _Just a quick peak,_ she thought working up the nerve to look over the rocks she hid behind. All her movements stilled as a deep, growling voice spoke.

“There is no use in hiding if I know you’re here.”

The voice, was low, rumbling and rough. Almost exactly how you would expect a dragon to sound, with an added note of coldness to each word. This dragon was definitely not friendly.

“I can feel you shaking through my ice. I can hear your heart pounding, hear you erratic breathing. It’s good to be afraid of me.” The sound of shifting muscles and claws on ice drew Anna to peer out over the rock.

The sight of the dragon pacing right by her hiding spot sent the girl scrambling back out of sight hands once more over her mouth. The dragon was much, much bigger up close.

“Come out, before I lose my patience. I know where you are, and -” the dragon paused and Anna froze, “That’s not a boulder you are hiding against.” A huffing breath washed over Anna and she glanced over her shoulder to see that the snow had been blown off the ‘rock’. A slit-shaped pupil peered at her through the ice chunk and Anna quickly jumped away and out of her hiding spot.

“There, that’s better.” The dragon seemed to purr as Anna scrambled backwards to put distance between them as the dragon took a few paces and settled almost gracefully into a dip in the floor.

When the dragon made no move to go after Anna or even threaten her, not that the mere presence of the beast wasn’t threatening enough, Anna stopped. She stared right into the deep-ocean eyes and stopped moving. Stopped breathing. Just stopped.

“Why are you here.” Not a question, a demand for her to speak.

Anna swallowed hard, and slowly moved to sit on her knees. Her mind raced with a thousand thoughts, a thousand questions, non of them working to answer the demand of the dragon. Anna opened her mouth to speak. Her throat emitted a strangled sound. She tried again yielding the same response.

The dragon snapped, obviously tired of waiting, “Why are you here!”

Anna whimpered, “Please.”

The dragon’s lip curled in a snarl, teeth gleaming in the icy light and the muscles rippled like water as the dragon stood, tail lashing.

_“_ I will not ask again!” the dragons sneered in disgust at the human kneeling beneath them.

“P-please, I only wanted someplace to warm up and wait out the storm.” Anna managed to feebly stutter out. At least it was a response.

The dragon straightened up and towered over Anna’s cowering form and laughed. The dragon laughed at her in distaste. “Ironic how you came here, searching for shelter and warmth only to find the god of the cold and ice.” Flecks of spittle landed on Anna’s face as the dragon practically spat the sentence out.

Anna felt tears roll down her cheeks and she stared at the ground. “Please.” the word was barely a whisper, but the dragon still heard. That singular word echoing around the icy cave.

The beast’s eyes narrowed and studied the girl before coming to a conclusion. The dragon relaxed once more and settled back down into the divet, careful of the left wing. “Tell me,” the dragon rumbled out almost gently, “where do you hail from.”

Anna sucked in a breath. “I’m staying in the valley town with - .”

“That is not what I asked,” the dragon interrupted almost singing the words with murderous intent.

“A-arendelle. I’m Anna from Arendelle.” she choked out limbs shaking viciously. Anna didn’t know why she mentioned her name. The dragon, didn’t ask.

The dragon hummed, eyes moving from Anna to glance at the blizzard outside. “Ah the little fjord town. Fitting.”

That little comment stirred something in Anna, a little fire, and before she could stop herself the red-head found herself standing and glaring at the dragon. “It’s not a just a town, it’s a kingdom now! And I’m there princess!”

The dragon seemed to snort in amusement at her little outburst, a playful glint of ice-blue lighting in the reptilian eye.

“I see the cold did not entirely freeze your spirit. Good, you may yet make it out alive.” the dragon seemed to smile, if that were possible. Anna tilted her head at that. She opened her mouth to ask what the dragon meant and closed it in thought. The words to ask were right there and yet she couldn’t find them to ask what she wanted. Luckily the dragon spoke again before Anna could become a rambling mess trying to find the words that evaded her.

“Tell me, Princess _Ah-na_ of Arendelle _,_ how did _you_ end up _here_ on the North Mountain. Didn’t the good folk of that pitiful valley town teach you about this place.”

Anna managed to find her voice in an instant and radiated joy as she started her response. “Well, I was on a date.” her joy turned to a scowl as the memory progressed, “and not a very good one at that, with the Prince of the Southern Isles, Hans We-Oh, actually I think his family has business here or at least some history here. Wonder why I didn’t realize that sooner.” The dragon snorted at the red-head.

“Anyway,” Anna drawled out dragging herself back to the point, “something happened and Hans suddenly left with his people and left me alone. And me being, well me, and not really knowing how to navigate a map, I tried to head back to the town, but wound up here.” She finished gesturing to the cave with her hands before folding them behind her back and rocking back and forth gently awaiting the dragon’s response.

A second passed, then a minute. Anna growing increasingly nervous the longer the silence lasted.

“This Prince of the Southern Isles sounds less than ideal.”

Anna let out a breath of relief and grinned. “Yeah, he’s not the nicest guy out there, but the uniting of our kingdoms through marriage would greatly benefit the people of Arendelle, and as a princess I must do whatever is needed to protect and aid my people.”

Ice-blue eyes studied the red-head for a moment before a chuffing growl echoed out as the dragon spoke. “I could simply eat him and remove this pest from the equation.”

The remark took Anna off guard and she snorted in laughter before quickly covering her mouth. “I’m not so sure that would sit well with his twelve siblings, or the Southern Isles itself, or even some of their various trading partners. Specifically the Weseltons, they favor Hans out of all the siblings.”

The air itself seemed to freeze.

“Did you say Weselton?”

Anna didn’t seem to notice the edge to the voice or the temperature dropping.

“Mhmm, the Weseltons and the Westerguards ha-”

Anna was cut off by a booming roar that shook the very mountain itself.

“Westerguards?!”

The ice pulsated and glowed changing from blue to gold as the mighty dragon rose up spitting curses in a tongue she couldn’t understand.

“Y-yes,” Anna stuttered out trying to stop herself from shaking in fear, “The Westerguards are the ruling m-monarch of the Southern Isles.” Her teeth started chattering and she shivered finally noticing the frigid air whipping about inside the cave. Anna ducked as a large scaly tail came swinging over her head.

The dragon paced in a frenzy, fear and anger battling one another as the beast clawed at the ice. Puffs of hot breath leaked into the air in billows before the wind whisked them away, ocean-deep eyes unfocused and lost to another time, ice forming and melting around each step.

“How could I have been so foolish!” the dragon hissed out to themself. “How could I haven not recognized their scent rolling off you. I should have know!” Anna took a step back shielding her face from the onslaught of wind and ice combined. Cold pierced through her clothes as she found herself pressed against a wall of ice. A small whimper escaped her throat, too quiet to hear over the roaring of the beast.

Feral attention snapped to the little red-head cowering against the ice.

“You’re in league with the Westerguards. You’re working with the very devils that tore my village apart, scattered my people, and tried to end me.” The words were harsh and cold. The wind had stopped, ice suspended in the still air.

An eerie, menacing calm settled over the mountain.

“Tell me,” the dragon’s voice rumbled out like cracking ice. A beautiful, but terrifying sound. One wrong move and the mighty torrent would consume her. “Did they send you to trick me, to finish what they could not?”

Anna trembled and none of it was from the cold. She had no idea what the beast was talking about, had no clue what her betrothed’s family could have done to scare the beast and earn it’s wrath. Slowly, with a shuddering breath the red-head straightened out her body and met the dragon’s gaze. Her breath was shaky, arms shaking violently, but her sea-green eyes held firm. She shook her head slowly in answer to the dragon’s question, knowing her voice would only come out as a faint squeak if she dared try to use it.

The dragon huffed and bared their teeth. The winter white-fur swayed as the beast reared up to stare down at Anna from their full height. Muscles rippled as the beast moved, snapped taught ready to strike. “No matter, this ends today. Starting with you.”

A shimmering blue mist formed withing the dragon’s mouth and Anna didn’t even think, didn’t have time to think and just acted, rolling out of the way the second she saw the shift in the deep-ocean eyes. A beam of ice and frost shot from the dragon’s open jaws, coating the area in a thick frozen wave.

This had all been some sort of amusement to the dragon. They had planned to end her from the second she stepped into this cave. The realization hit Anna as she ducked behind a solid ice pillar and tried to steady her breathing.

The dragon hissed in annoyance upon realizing the ice had not encased the red-head. They carefully turned over toward Anna’s direction. “You cannot hide from me here, Anna of Arendelle. Accept your death and I will make it swift and painless.”

The trembling throughout Anna’s body stilled. Something in the voice - there was softness in the words, a promise, one that had been made before. An almost brokenness to it. Anna found herself no longer consumed by fear. Yes, it was still there, but it no longer held her firm in its grasp.

“I’m not hiding.” she all but whispered before trying again loud and firm. “I’m not hiding. I’m preserving my own life, not hiding.”

“Don’t you see? Your life is meaningless. You are just a pawn in their game. A game I intend to win by removing each and everyone of their pieces.” The voice no longer held that gentleness, that promise. It shifted back to the cutting cold tone where the words fell like blocks of ice tumbling down a mountain.

Anna chanced a glance around the ice pillar only to come face to face with a gaping maw, ready to devour her whole.

“Icanremovethathingfromyourside!” she barked out rapidly without much thought. The dragon stilled its advance, jaws snapping shut a hands-width away from Anna’s own head. A puff of wet-warm air sent her hair swaying out behind her.

Sea-green eyes blinked open to find deep-ocean ones slit and staring right back, daring her to speak.

And she dared.

“The giant stick,” she motioned toward the object stuck in the dragon’s left side, “It’s a large spear shot from mounted crossbows in battlements, yes?” Anna slowly moved from in front of the beast toward their side, examining and gesturing to the object. The beasts eye tracked her every movement, only the sound of air puffing out through nostrils in even breaths responded back. “I’ve some experience removing arrows from animals, of course nothing to this size, much less a dragon, but -.”

Shaking her head, red-hair waving at the motion, Anna stopped herself before she fell into another rant. She steadied herself and stared directly into the deep-ocean eyes still trained on her, still studying her. “I can remove it for you.”

The beast narrowed their eyes and scanned her face, her body, her everything at those words. The black pupils slitted even further becoming almost indistinguishable from the deep-blue around it. Anna continued to stare right back. There was a shift in the coloring, a flash of light-icy blue swirled in the oceanic depths before vanishing once more. The dragon did not move. Eyes still scanning, still searching.

Anna gulped and found words tumbling out of her mouth before her mind could process that her mouth had began moving. “You haven’t been able to fly since that got stuck there, right? I can get it out for you. Or you can just eat me now and have that thing stay lodged in your side.”Anna paused for a second as her mouth began running down a new train of thought faster than her brain could comprehend it. “Of course you could just eat me after I remove the spear, but I’m not going to think about that and choose to trust you and hey if you do let me remove it and not eat me I can just run my butt back to Arendelle and you’ll never have to see me again, or maybe you’d just come hunt me down after I got far enough away and you’re able to fly again and-this-oh, this is just gonna end in my death either way isn’t it?”

The dragon did not move an inch.

“Alright maybe I’ll just leave and let you do what you do up here instead. Forget you ever saw me.” Anna nervously chuckled and shuffled around the dragon heading for the cave entrance.

“Wait.” It was not a request. It was a command and Anna stopped turning around slowly. The dragon had shifted its gaze studying the ice below, faintly growling as it seemed to battle with themself. Ice-blue clashed with the deep-ocean once again in the eyes before settling back peacefully to the deep-ocean blue.

Carefully the dragon moved and laid themself down gently to the icy floor extending the left wing up and securing the end to the roof of the cave with a blast of ice. Anna shuffled closer, understanding what she was to do.

The dragon lowered their head and gently blew onto the floor beside Anna’s feet. A fresh pile of snow created itself before the fluffy dragon tail brushed it away to reveal a pristine blade of ice.

“That should be sharp enough to tear through my hide. You will need it.”

Anna picked up the blade.

It felt unreal, not of this world, like it was made of life itself. Perhaps it had been. The blade shimmered and glowed, almost pulsating with energy. _Magic._

The light-blue sheen reflected light from within itself and, despite being made of ice, did not hold the chill one would expect. It felt lighter than a normal sword. Anna twisted it around experimentally. The blade would do well in battle, but. Anna glanced up at the spear lodged in the dragon’s side and then back at the sword.

A white powdery wind surrounded the blade in Anna’s hand followed by a huff from the dragon. When the wind dispersed and the sword had been replaced with a short hunting knife. Anna glanced at the dragon with a brow raised. The dragon merely looked away.

Letting out a steadying exhale, Anna approached the dragon. A platform of ice slowly raising with her steps till she was level with the injury. Anna lifted her hand and paused.

Her fingers brushed the scaly texture of the dragon’s skin. It was rough as expected and cold, but soft and alive. A glance up to the spine of the dragon had her wondering if the fur felt like dipping a hand into fresh fallen-snow, but that was a curiosity she would save for a later time.

Her fingers slowly ran over the shoulder muscle and lightly up toward the wing, marveling at the strength underneath, before running down and back toward the injury. Anna stopped when her fingers brushed wood and gently pressed down. A grumbling growl rumbled through the dragon’s body and into Anna’s, but the beast stay perfectly still. Only the vibrating of the growl through their chest remained as Anna’s prodding fingers pressed more firmly around the spear.

A steady hand raised the knife and slowly started lowering it before freezing mid-air when the dragon spoke, voice rumbling around in a sickeningly dangerous way. “Careful, Anna of Arendelle. One wrong move and you will end up as lame as I.” Anna gulped at the threat.

Inhale.

Exhale.

The knife was pressed lightly into the skin, just enough to penetrate the thick hide, but deeply not into the flesh. The beast did not flinch, did not hiss. The blade shifted down cutting in a diagonal line on either side of the spear. Blood dripped out of the fresh cut, steaming as it rolled and fell down to the ice below, the droplets bouncing lightly on the fresh patches of snow before settling.

The dragon kept from moving, kept the muscles relaxed. Anna kept cutting. Her hands and clothes quickly staining with the beasts blood.

The ice-blade was dropped to the red-stained floor and boots stepped back through the puddles of blood. The sound of wood and metal clattered with the ice. After an endless amount of time the spear had been extracted and the red-head hunched over panting.

“It’s out. It’s out.”

Anna wiped her hands on her dress. Blood already stained it and a little more wouldn’t matter. She stumbled around till her back connected with the cave wall and she slumped down to exhausted. The coolness of the ice washed over her and soothed her tired and frazzled body.

The dragon didn’t move, barely made a sound as Anna had worked until she had asked the dragon to flex the wing muscle. The pulsing flesh almost had Anna turning over to vomit, but a quiet hissing growl had settled her. Anna didn’t falter for a second after that.

Claws scraping on ice caught Anna’s attention and she cracked open an eye to see the dragon standing tall examining the wound. A pink tongue gave one smooth stroke over the cut before it had glazed over in ice. Catching her gaze the dragon gave a deep bow of the head in thanks, but said nothing. Anna watched the swirl of blues in the eyes again before they narrowed, darkening as the sky outside had done.

She had earned the dragon’s respect. But not their trust.

The dragon walked to the cave entrance, wings carefully folded back. Sea-green eyes followed the movement.

Wind whipped at the fur, lining the dragon’s chest and spine, sending it dancing around as the chilly air swirled and spiraled almost in greeting. The beast sat, head lowered softly and tail curling around like a cat. Anna felt the rumbling vibrations of the dragon’s voice through the ice and began to wonder who the dragon could possibly be speaking to. The thought quickly vanished when weariness set in again and the red-head couldn’t bother to care much about it. The fear and intensity of the day had drained her of her almost vast supplies of energy.

The disbelief on her families face if she were to tell them made her lips quirk up in a smile. Yes, if she made it out alive, this would be a story to tell for generations. The thought passed as quickly as it came and sea-green eyes closed.

Sleep came crawling in slowly. Anna could feel it, but would not give in to it. Surely, now the dragon would decide her fate. Be it to eat her or cast her out into the night. Despite her tired mind and weary body, Anna could not sleep. She would not allow herself to sleep until the dragon had decided what was to become of her.

A cool breeze floated in and kissed her tired brow. The chill welcome and Anna felt herself relax more. Sleep was winning now. Her exhaustion giving it an edge and the cool breeze aiding it along. The world had gone peacefully quiet.

Heavy, graceful steps alerted her to the dragon approaching. She cracked open an eye to see the beast bowing their head once more before her, watching her with ice-blue eyes. The wind outside picked up once again, sealing the entrance off in a wall of white.

Sea-green eyes struggled to stay open, her vision blurring.

“Sleep,” the dragon spoke, voice falling gently in the quiet air, none like the grumbling roaring beast before, “I will ensure you do not freeze. Sleep.”

Through fading vision, Anna would recall this moment. Through the haze, through the cool wind, and eerie glow of the ice, the dragon that stood before her was no beast. It was no angry spirit seeking vengeance for a past wrong, but a girl. A frail girl with moon-kissed skin and hair of snow. A kind girl, with frozen-eyes that watched her descend into sweet sleep. Anna blinked blearily and saw behind the girl a beast, a dragon different than the one in the cave. The beast watched from behind the girl, eyes dark and cruel, teeth bared in a menacing smile as it watched her. The terror the sight caused almost threatened to wake her. Sea-green eyes widened at the sight of the beast.

The woman noticed the shift of emotions and frowned raising a delicate hand and waving it. The clank of metal and ice sounding faintly at the motion. Anna watched the pale hand as it waved and noticed the iron band frosted over around her wrist. Her brows knitted together in confusion but the women only smiled faintly and shook her head, platinum blonde locks swaying slightly. With a flick of her wrist a mist had formed hiding the beast from Anna’s sight until all she could see were the kind ice-blue eyes and gentle smile of the woman.

Anna moved to sit up, questions written in her confused gaze. A cool hand pressed her back down before moving up to cup a freckled cheek.

“Sleep.” The woman spoke softly.

Anna nodded mutely. Her eyes closing and a small smile forming on her lips as darkness embraced her under the kind gaze and cool touch of the woman.

Atop the North Mountain, inside a dragon’s keep the Princess of Arendelle fell into a sweet slumber. For what she had seen, she would remember and recall for the remainder of her life. The quiet end that would lead to new beginnings. The goddess of winter and blissful rest chained to a beast of cruel, cunning, and cold.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see something that should be tagged, speak and it shall be done.

The wind floated gently through the cave, bringing in a few delicate snowflakes to float down gently the the icy floor. Soft breathing puffed evenly into the cold air and red hair paled as it grew dusted with snow. Despite being on the North Mountain, and despite being blanketed in snow Anna was warm and comfortable inside the dragon’s keep.

She cracked open her eye’s blearily and glanced around. The cave walls coated in ice and snow greeted her and she sighed softly closing her eyes again. _I guess it wasn’t a dream._ A small smile appeared on her lips as she dozed. _Magic really does exist in the world still then._

“I wonder where it went in the first place,” Anna mumbled aloud rolling to her side sleepily.

A thunderous, booming clap echoed around the mountainside and her eyes snapped open. Anna bolted upright in an instant her heart pounding as fear settled in. No sound reached her ears as she sat listening and waiting. Only snow drifted down as the wind gently howled in the steady daylight. Anna let out a shaky breath that and watched as the vapor formed and vanished in the cool air.

After a few minutes of nothing happening, no sound other than the wind, Anna relaxed fully. _Despite sleeping on literal snow and ice I think that was the best sleep I’ve had outside of home!_ She stretched her arms above her head and let out a content sigh as her limbs loosened.

Another thunderous boom echoed around, louder and much closer than the last, had her tensing again and she jumped to her feet and pressed up against the cave wall. Sea-green Eyes darted around the cave and back to the entrance as the wind picked up and the lazily drifting snow became a wall of white. Another glance around the cave. Anna sucked in a breath. The dragon had gone. The wind roared outside.

_Maybe the dragon didn’t leave me here. Maybe they’re sitting outside or someplace hidden nearby? Maybe the sound is from the dragon!_ She shook her head dismissing the thought. Even if the beast did possess magic it wouldn’t be able to fly so soon after having that spear removed. And if the dragon wasn’t making those sounds then something else as equally big and terrifying had to be.

Anna did her best to quell the fear rising in her. Why would the dragon leave her here, if something else could easily come in and kill her. Without the beast here in the cave Anna felt vulnerable.

“Dragon, hello?” her voice shook.

The red-head took a steadying breath. “God of the cold and ice, or whatever you wish to be called, are you there?” Her voice echoed dully against the cave walls. She took a step toward the center of the cave still shaking. “It’s me. The Princess. Anna of Arendelle.”

As if in answer, a serious of loud quick thundering booms echoed around. Anna covered her ears at the sound and bit her tongue from crying out. Three, four, eight booms and then the ground shook sending a thud reverberating through the rock and ice. The creature making those deafening booms had collided with the mountain.

The wind went silent, but the wall of white remained.

On silent, shaky legs Anna stepped over to the bloodstained ice blade she had used the night prior. A quick glance to the area revealed that even despite the snow the drifted in, the area was still stained deeply with the dragon’s blood. Where could the beast have even gone? How could she even lose a dragon that size?

Focusing back on dealing with whatever waited outside Anna angled the blade in front of her and took a few steps toward the cave entrance. “Hello?” she called. The wind made a sound that almost sounded like laughter. There was a huffing sound and a snap that sent shivers down the red-head’s spine, but she held her position.

“I thought you would have left when the storm broke for those few hours.”

Anna held a hand over her heart and lowered her blade. She knew that voice, that deep rumbling voice of cold and death, hard as ice and yet gentle as snow. The princess should have been wary and terrified of the dragon, but only relief filled her. She let out a sigh, “It’s only you.”

The dragon snorted.

Anna opened her mouth to speak, but stopped herself as sea-green eyes scanned over the beast. Fur stuck together in clumps, stained red with blood that still dripped down and hissed as it connected with the frozen floor. Warm blood. Each step the dragon made was stiff and held a slight limp. Scrapes and rips in the tough dragon hide had scabbed over and dried trails of dragon blood stained the blue scales. Anna continued to watch carefully as the beast moved to the divet in the floor that made up their nest. Anna could see the dragon’s ribs underneath all that skin. _Thin, too thin._ _Why didn’t I notice any of this before?_

“Where,” Anna paused as ice-blue eyes looked to her curiously, “Where were you?” Slitted eyes darkened slightly.

“Hunting.”

“That-those sounds- that was you?” Anna slowly pieced it all together.

The dragon winced as they settled into a more comfortable position despite their obvious injuries. “Yes. What else could it have been?” The dragon paused and studied Anna,eyes narrowing at the blade in her hand. The red-head noticed and quickly half-threw, half-dropped the blade. She smiled sheepishly.

“Sorry.”

The dragon rolled their eye and spoke again, “You’ve got the temper of a fire-spitter yet you’re as skittish as a winter-hare.”

That comment irked Anna for some reason. It was only an observation noted by the dragon and she had good cause to be skittish on the North Mountain. “Forgive me you might dragon,” she grumbled, “until yesterday dragons were myths and magic, well I can’t remember anything about magic, and now I’m wondering what other giant creatures could be hiding out there.” She gestured a hand toward the cave entrance.

The dragon stilled and titled their head. “You do not know of magic?”

Anna shook her head, “I know of it, everyone does. It’s just rare? Or something I can’t recall. I think my brain refuses to remember magic. We see more of the effects of old magic or magical creatures roaming about. But not much else Nothing like what you are able to do with the ice.”

“Hmm,” the dragon looked to the cave floor in thought. Anna waited patiently before loosing herself to her thoughts. Magic, she definitely knew of magic, had seen creatures that weren’t necessarily natural. Half-beast and half-human, trolls, and she claims a fae once, but nobody believed that. Nobody ever saw the fae anymore. But now that she thought about it, the more she didn’t know of the specifics of magic, her brain just blanked in a thick fog every time she tried to recall something relating to magic users.

“Magic was abundant in my home,” the dragon’s voice startled Anna out of her thinking.

“Huh?”

The dragon chortled, amusement in their ice-blue eyes, “Your mind wanders like those that drift with the wind. I beginning to think you’re a bit of everything.” Anna titled her head in confusion. The dragon cut her off before she could question that statement. “My home had been rife with magic when I was . . . little. Not many gifted with it, but spells and blessings, symbols to ward off devils, little things. Occasionally one would be born that could use magic. Ice, fire, wind, water, but it was such a small gift. Never more than a handful of fire or a cooling breeze on a hot day.”

“Still those families that had the gift were often told to have been blessed by the gods. I wonder what has become of them. Perhaps I’ll visit home once this mess has been dealt with.” Their voice softened at the end as if they were speaking more to themself than to Anna.

“I thought this,” Anna gestured around to the cave, “was your home.”

The dragon said nothing, eye glazing over and laid their head down on the cave facing the entrance. Anna followed the beast’s gaze with her own sea-green eyes, but only the wall of white greeted her. The dragon seemed to see something far beyond that white. A memory of a distant place. A memory of home.

The red-head looked back to the dragon, scanning all the little cuts and scraped and the blood-stained fur. Her eyes blazed with a a fiery determination as she made a decision. She would see the beast went home, and she would help. Even if only to keep the beast company. The red-head didn’t know the specifics of all that happened and questions burned round in her mind, but she knew that the dragon had been stuck in this cave long enough to be forgotten. Stuck in one place for years and years, with nothing but the wind and ice. Lonely, and isolated, far from home. Nobody deserved to have that life. She understood that.

Anna walked over to the blade again and picked it up, making sure her movements were obvious and deliberate enough to not startle the dragon into suddenly eating her. She bent to the hem of her dress and cut a chunk of the fabric off. The dragon’s eyes had shifted back to that deep-ocean color of death and eyed her menacingly, no longer lost in the memories.

Slowly and very cautiously Anna approached the dragon’s side. “I only wish to wash the blood from your hide. If-if you’ll let me.” she hastily added. The red-head could only do what the dragon allowed and it would be stupid to assume otherwise.

The large reptilian head swiveled till the two were face to face. Hot dragon-breath blasted over Anna’s face and sent her hair flying behind her. She kept her sea-green gaze connected to the deep-ocean one. Let the dragon see her, let the beast know she posed no threat. The red-head couldn’t keep her knees from shaking.

The dragon nodded and dipped their head breathing a frozen beam next to Anna. She jumped in surprise at the sudden blast. A large bowl filled with water greeted her site. She glanced up with brows raised at the beast. Eyes once again ice-blue and dancing with amusement. Anna rolled her eyes and smiled. She was still alive and this was a step forward she supposed.

It didn’t take to long to wash the scaly hide of all the blood. It wiped away easily. The bloodstained fur took much, longer to wash. The whiteness of the fur seemed to want to hold onto every speck of red it could and washing it only blending the red into the surrounding areas of white. Anna wished for some soap to make the job easier.

Neither spoke while Anna worked, and she was perfectly fine with that. The red-head knew she tended to rush into things head first to do so without thinking, and it often lead to a scolding or scrapes and bruises. This time it would likely end in her death, at the snap of mighty jaws. Questions threatened to spill from her mouth each time she dared to part her lips and the red-head made sure to bite her tongue. The princess would do this slowly, do this carefully. If she wanted to learn anything, she had to be alive to do such. So when the dragon spoke first, Anna nearly bit straight through her tongue in shock and almost tripped over the dragon’s foot as she tumbled backwards over her own.

“Anna of Arendelle, why didn’t you go back down the mountain when the weather had held?”

Anna swallowed and made her hands continue washing. The water surprisingly warm. “By the time I woke up the storm started to set in again.” The dragon blinked and dipped their head a bit in understanding. After the evening she had last night, anyone would have slept for a full day if given the chance.

“The weather will be clear in few hour again,” the dragon glanced down at the red-head. “You should leave then. If you stay any longer your betrothed may actually send people out to look for you.”

Hands stilled their cleaning of fur and gripped the white tufts gently. “How long have I been here?”

“Only a day and a half. You’ll reach town before nightfall tonight.”

Anna nodded at the response and began working again. She was almost done at this point. She wrung out the bit of cloth in the warm water. “What were you hunting earlier?”

A puff of air left the dragon’s nose. “Whatever I could find.”

Anna rubbed at the fur feeling a rumble start in the dragon’s chest and marveling at the deep sound it made, not threatening just agitated. Almost like the sound she made when denied chocolate. “Nothing lives on the North Mountain this high save for a few mountain goats and bear like creatures. I cannot travel far to find less - problematic prey. Not with my current physical state.”

“And did you catch any?”

“No. Those bear-beasts saw to that.” The dragon’s lip curled, teeth bared in annoyance.

“I’d bring you some food from the village, but I don’t think I could drag a whole cow up a mountain.” Anna chuckled. The dragon didn’t react other than a blink. The princess pouted and she grumbled something about a grumpy dragon before continuing on with her task.

Anna finished cleaning the dragon around noon. Her own stomach made sure she knew what time is was. _Come to think of it I haven’t eaten in a day and I’m getting a bit grumpy. I can’t imagine not eating for - however long the dragon’s been here exactly._ Anna sighed and plopped herself down in the snowdrift she had slept in yesterday.

The snow floated back down gently on a phantom wind and Anna watched it curiously. Now that she thought about it, she didn’t feel cold. Not one bit. Anna glanced down to the bowl of previously warm water. It had frozen over almost instantly when she no longer had use for it so the cave had to be below freezing. She should probably thank the dragon for keeping her warm.

“Thank you,” the words left her mouth before the red-head could properly think about what she was going to thank the dragon for. “For-uh- keeping me warm and not letting me freeze, and not eating me or throwing me out to those bear creatures you say live here and for -oh -um, just thank you for letting me live.” she finished lamely.

Frozen eyes watched her as she spoke and gestured halfheartedly. Those ice-blue eyes betrayed none of what the dragon was thinking. Anna stared back curiously. There was a shift in the dragon, muscles tensing every so slightly and a swirl of deep-ocean curled and swam, threatening to overtake the ice-blue in a tide of dark waves. Anna marveled at the sight, watching as the colors warred. She hadn’t even realized she stopped and moved closer to the beast till a mighty tail pushed against her stomach making her stumble backward. A low growl threatening Anna to keep her distance. Sea-green eyes widened and looked up into narrowing deep-ocean ones.

“I may have let you live, but that is only to repay my debt to you. The scent of Westerguard still surrounds you, pours out of you and I will never again be fooled by a kind soul who deals with the devil!” The dragon had stood and prowled forward teeth bared causing the red-head to stumble backwards till she was pressed against the cave wall, sea-green eyes shining with fear.

“Why not simply disperse the storm and be rid of me now then.” Anna shakily voiced out, words somewhat firm and challenging despite the terror gripping her heart.

The dragon sneered teeth that much closer to the red-head, “I cannot have the storm suddenly disperse with Westerguard watching so closely. His family is still out for my head as I am out for his!”

“Why?” Anna hardened her gaze and stood up straighter, challenging. She had no particular care for Hans Westerguard or his family, in fact she would probably be okay with the dragon eating him. But she did not appreciate receiving the threats and aggression meant for someone else and she would not accept them. “What happened between you and Hans’ family, more specifically, what has Hans done to you? You’ve been asleep his whole life!”

The dragon roared in irritation at her idiocy. Rearing up to their full height eyes gleaming in the light, the cave turning from blue to a gold, a terrifyingly angry gold. Anna regretted her words immediately. Silver pooled in her sea-green eyes and she crumbled to the ground curling in on herself, breathing becoming short and erratic.

“It is truly pathetic how little you know, how little you understand of the past. The spirits, falling to legend, mere myths, the history behind the Westerguard family. How much you don’t see. So wrapped up in your little fjord town you can’t behold the world falling into ruin around you. The order truly has fallen then. How long - how long must it have been gone for the world not to understand the severity of it all. To not know of the power it must kneel before!”

The booming roar of the dragon choked off at the end as if the last statement had tasted rotten coming out. Anna chanced a glance up. The mighty, powerful beast once more appeared thin and struggling, eyes ice-blue once more an frosted over, dull and lifeless. _Themself, they blame themself for-whatever went wrong_. Anna’s heart clenched at the way the dragon curled in on themself appearing smaller and smaller as if they wished to curl into nothing itself. As if they were afraid of the very life that flowed through them.

“Tell me, tell me what happened.” Anna gulped. She wanted to understand, wanted to know. Something about this creature, something drew her in. Stupid, she knew she was being stupid, but she had to know. She made a secret promise to return this beast to their home. Understanding their past, their history held some key to this quest she set herself on. She knew she was being too curious about this all and would likely end up dead, but some instinct kept telling her to keep pushing. Telling her to understand what had went wrong.

Despite all the odd circumstances that led to their meeting, Anna knew it wasn’t just her usual idiocy that led her to this cave in the first place. Something had guided her here. Be it one of the gods or fate, or the wind itself. She had been drawn here, brought here and was still alive. There had to be a reason.

The ice faded to a paler shade of gold, no longer menacing, no longer promising death and Anna watched as the dragon’s posture changed. In an instant the beast went from weak and tired to one poised, ready to strike. Ready to bring death. The change so sudden Anna nearly leaped from her skin.

“I will not tell you anything, until you talk to your betrothed.” The dragon hissed out. The two stared at each other before the beasts gaze softened ever so slightly. “You wish to protect your people, protect your home and in telling you now I would only be causing unneeded strife. The Westerguards have no quarrel with Arendelle and I will not be the cause of one.”

A blast of wind nearly sent Anna tumbling to the floor and the dragon whipped their mighty head to face the cave entrance. The wind did little more the send their fur flying flat against the beasts thin frame. As soon as it came the wind vanished leaving bit of snow to flutter down slowly.

“What was that.” Anna breathed out mostly to herself as she stood up.

The beast shook out their fur , fluffing it back up and padded toward the entrance. “Only the wind. Now come, you need to be sent off, your betrothed is growing concerned for your absence.”

Anna scrambled after the dragon and slipped a bit on the ice. “How could you possible know that.”

“The wind speaks, if one cares enough to hear.”

Anna merely blinked at the cryptic statement.

The two waited outside the mouth of the cave and watched as the storm slowly, ever so slowly, vanished atop the mountain. The snow sparkled as if tiny gems were buried throughout the whiteness as the sun rays shone down. Sea-green eyes slowly drifted from the glimmering snow to the land beyond. Anna sucked in a breath at the view.

The world seemed to be laid at her feet. Mountains extended to one side, their peaks as magnificent as the other but non quite matching the height of the North Mountain. Below, the rocky slope dipped into a forest at the base before giving way to a lush valley, the town barely perceptible from the height. Beyond the valley laid more mountains and land beyond that. Anna felt like she had been given the world and all she had to do was take it.

“I’ll come back.” Anna stated.

Sea-green looked up to the dragon, light shining over the scales and fur. Despite how thin and obviously weak the dragon was, the raw power they held was obvious from the way they stood, the way they moved and their eyes. Ice-blue saw the world for what it was, beauty and life. This beast, this dragon with frozen eyes gazing over the world, content to watch, to see it move. This was who they were. Perhaps things would be different when Winter set it, but watching life thrive in the height of the Summer season, this was the truth of them underneath the cold, murderous exterior. It clicked in Anna’s brain. Looking at the world below, she pondered.

Something had happened in the past between the Westerguards and this dragon. Something so terrible that it broke the beast, broke so much that an icy shield of death and anger forged itself to protect that childlike wonder and playful nature beneath. She didn’t know how the whole magic thing worked, but Anna was going to find answers to understand it. She could feel it, despite knowing the beast was old, far older than the town in the valley, far older than Arendelle itself, the dragon before her was still young. A child at heart, with the years and experience of centuries, saddled with responsibilities one should not bear. Much like herself.

Anna smiled. _What a pair we’d make. The Princess of Arendelle and God of the Cold and Ice._ She chuckled at the thought of inviting the dragon over for dinner with the lords and ladies and maybe even adding the beast to her court if only for the shock it’d cause.

The dragon felt her joy and smiled themself. “Come,” the beast walked away toward the other side of the mountain, clearing a small path for the princess. “It’s time I fulfill my debt.”

Anna followed. The dragon had not right out rejected her previous statement of coming back and she didn’t plan to ruin it by opening her mouth. Instead, she followed peacefully and content, enjoying the view as she followed a legend proved true. If there wasn’t some obviously secret war happening between the Westerguards and the dragon, she might wish to tell the story of waking the beast on the North Mountain. Nobody would believe her anyway. But Anna would keep this to herself. _Let the world wonder what happened these past two days up on the North Mountain._

The wind caressed Anna’s face gently and she leaned into it enjoying the freshness of it all. Her sea-green gaze fell upon the expansive view once more and everything that happened fell gently on her shoulders. She had awoke a legend, or at least freed one in a way. One she did not know of or even understand. After having slept for centuries they were still alive and well, and Anna had done enough so that the beast may fly once more. The wind continued on it’s way gently, brushing red-hair back in a breeze. She felt the change in the wind then. A touch of a promise she could not grasp. And as Anna of Arendelle looked on at the dragon and at the expansive view from atop the North Mountain she found herself unafraid.

Lost in her own thoughts and the beautiful view, Anna didn’t realize the dragon had stopped and bumped gracelessly into the beasts leg, fur tickling her nose.

“Oomf.”

The dragon paid no mind to the slight mishap and waited for the red-head to come around. The confusion and question clearly written on her freckled face and the dragon did their best to keep the amusement out of their ice-blue eyes.

“This is where we part ways. Another storm will roll in tonight, a natural storm, so you must leave now.” The dragon spoke softly, deep voice seeming to tumble down the mountain like fallen snow. Anna couldn’t help but imagine how far one could hear the dragon’s roar from up so high, how terrifyingly amazing it would be echoing around the mountains and into the valley below.

Anna shook the thoughts away and met the beasts gaze. “I’ll come back,” she repeated her promise. The dragon let out a low, joyful chuckle and Anna found herself grinning at the amused tone in which they spoke,

“I’m sure you’d find a way even if I threw you from the mountain myself.” Anna opted not to say anything and instead enjoyed the content happy atmosphere the two shared on this mountain top.

The dragon sighed softly into the wind and with a massive clawed paw, tore a deep groove into the snow before a blast of ice flew from the dragon’s open maw and piled snow into the groove till it overflowed. A swipe of a mighty tail swept sway the snow to reveal a very boat like creation.

Anna swallowed, “I’m going down in that aren’t I?” The beast merely gave her a look and titled their head. _How else would you get down?_

The red-head looked down and idly kicked a clump of snow, shyly glancing up at the dragon. _I kinda thought you’d bring me down._ The dragon rolled their eyes, in mild annoyance but amusement still clear on their face.

Anna feigned disappointment and climbed in the ice boat. She turned to look at the dragon, mighty and powerful in the afternoon light. She didn’t want to leave.

“I wont -” Anna paused swallowing back her sadness at having to leave, “I wont speak of anything.” The dragon nodded their understanding.

“Extend your palm.”

Confused, Anna did as requested. Carefully the dragon lowered their head and gently blew a breath into the awaiting palm. A mist formed and swirled upward, light-blue tendrils of magic warping around as an object formed. Then with a slight burst the mist and magic expelled into tiny bits of snow revealing an intricate snowflake of ice roughly the size of a coin. Sea-green eyes stared in amazement at the delicate snowflake.

“It will not melt as long as I draw breath.” the dragon said.

Unspoken went the implications behind that statement, but she understood. Red-hair bobbed as the princess nodded.

“Thank you, but why?”

“To remember.”

Anna opened her mouth to draw a question. The words barely formed before they were cut off as the beast suddenly sent the ice-boat sailing down the mountainside. Anna couldn’t think, couldn’t even scream as the breath left her. She never paid much thought to how she would be getting down the mountain, but this didn’t seem like an option.

_I’m going to die!_

A glance behind her revealed the dragon watching, slowly disappearing behind a passing cloud. The booming voice tumbled after her and her eyes widened at the words. Anna turned to face forward gain.

The wind stung her face and ears, prickling her skin, and stealing tears from her eyes at the speed she reached flying down the mountain. She wanted to laugh at the madness of this all. Her sea-green eyes scanning the area as best she could hoping, praying for her life. The boat veered to the left so suddenly Anna landed on her back within the icy contraption. A glance back revealed a large tree the boat would have crashed into had it not veered and it showed Anna would should would have not seen otherwise. A set path of ice, marked into the snow nearly hidden if she hadn’t just come down it. More questions flew through her mind but only one screamed louder than the rest.

How would she stop this maddening descent.

Her hand clenched tightly to the coin-sized snowflake as if it were a lifeline. If she survived, the princess would be sure to have a talk with the dragon about this. Her thoughts of stopping came to a screeching halt as the answer hit her right in the face. A gigantic pile of snow lay at the bottom of the mountain and Anna careened right into sending the powdery substance scattering.

Anna floundered in the snow trying to free herself from the pile. She uttered no sound as she set her feet on solid ground and began walking back toward the valley town. The dragon’s words echoed through her mind once more,

“Tell Westerguard his endless summer is at its end.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see something that should be tagged, speak and it will be done.

Wind tore at white fur sending it fluttering in the breeze. Bits of ice and snow clung to the white strands clumping them together in small spikes. Clouds let loose their flurries and they fell around lightly, uncaring for the beast floating on the wind. The snowflakes danced in delight as the mighty wings flapped and glided around the mountain peaks. Slitted eyes scanning through the white blizzard, ears listening for sounds beyond the howl of the storm.

The blizzard atop the mountain had dulled enough for the beast to hunt. Wings beat down again using the wind to keep them sailing through the air. It had been only a day and yet they could feel the strength slowly returning. Food was the only struggle on top this mountain. Now that the beast was fully awake, there was nothing to stop the hunger. A few good meals would give them the strength they needed to correct this mess of a world.

Movement bobbing in the snow caught the dragon's eye. Silently the beast folded their wings and slipped downward. Through the wind and snow two mountain goats had no chance to utter a warning cry as the mighty beast swept down and stole them away back into the air and above the clouds. Only a faint snapping crunch echoed out through the wind and the boom of wings.

Silence fell over the mountain once more and the blizzard continued on.

One brave soul stood at the bottom of the North Mountain and looked on at the white storm. The booming echoes distant enough to remain as a warning to stay away. Travels knew to stay away regardless.

The closer one got to the mountain, the more deadly and cold the place became. Wolves prowled the forest regularly, but near the mountain they seemed mad enough to drive anyone away. Even the beasts knew the mountain should be left alone. Only a fool would attempt to climb it.

A head of shaggy blonde hair, stared at the blizzard above. The man wore winter-leather, obviously prepared for the cold trek up the mountain. Most would call him crazy for even considering it.

He knew how crazy it was. He knew what stayed up there. That was why he came.

His brown eyes widened in horror. The thundering sound reached his ears and sent him scurrying away.

It's too soon, much too soon. .

The man took a glove off his hand and reached into his pocket pulling out a carrot. He took a bite and chewed quickly for a moment before calling ahead to his companion.

"Come on, we've got to hurry. We'll get settled in town then run up that mountain like we're reindeer being chased by wolves."

A rugged, brown haired man came trotting out of the trees and scratched the hair on his face. He looked to his blonde companion a question evident on his face despite the fact that he did not speak.

The blonde man rolled his eyes and his shoulders sagged, "Yes, we're in a rush, but no, we're not going up their right now. We need some sort of plan and backup plan if things go wrong." His companion contemplated and nodded before stealing the carrot out of his friend's hand and taking his own bite.

"Hey, you should at least ask first!"

Silent laughter was his only response as the two men grabbed their packs and ran toward town.

* * *

Cold. All she could remember was the cold.

It ran through her veins. Into her very soul or was it running into the soul bound to the magic within her.

She didn't know, didn't care. She could not move from the dark cold place. She had given up trying.

She couldn't remember what she looked like, only that her skin was pale and her hair near white. The chains that bound her rattled as she lifted her arms to glance at the bands.

It had been so long since she had been awake. So very long.

Was she awake now, or still dreaming? Had the girl been a dream? It was hard to tell now bound here in the dark. He only ever showed her glimpses of the world outside, and even then she hardly knew if they were real or just memories of his.

Heavy foot steps plodded on in the distance. Uneven thumps traveling up the floor like an animal with a limp. She knew what is was, who it was. Why he remained as a beast she did not know. Perhaps so his outward appearance matched the disgusting soul. She could feel that soul slithering around her prodding her mind and testing the magic in her. Waiting. Watching. Not a man but a beast inside and out.

"Now that's not very nice." He spoke stepping out of the swirling darkness. She blinked, eyes of ice unfocused. The beast stalked around the chained woman, her pale skin glowing in the gloom. "Ah, you forgot."

He circled around her again, always circling, always taunting. "We both share this body. Our thoughts, our memories," flashes of blue light swirled and figures of snow danced around. She recognized those figures, but could not place a name. She couldn't even find her own name. "How long must it have been for you to have forgotten your own name." The beast laughed, teeth gleaming as he grinned and paced. His broken claws scraping against the floor, the sound echoing like screams of madness and despair. Souls he had devoured.

He had once been a proud beast. Scales of blue and white shining like diamonds, eyes like stars, and a wingspan so large it could block out the sun. Those very wings now lay tattered and broken, barely remnants of their former glory. Claws and teeth broke, eyes dull and lifeless. A truly pathetic broken creature.

He roared at the woman. "Pathetic? I'm pathetic?!" His eyes narrowed and tail lashed, "I'm not the one in chains! I'm not the one at the mercy of another."

He reared his head back and sneered, towering over the woman. "It is only a matter of time before the magic settles and one soul must be removed. I will not be that soul."

"No." the woman spoke aloud, voice horse.

"No?" the beast repeated with a laugh, "No?" The dangerous laughter piercing through the dark.

A swirl of darkness surrounded the beast and dispersed in shards of glass revealing a man as grizzled and scarred as the beast had been. His leather armor and furred cloak tattered and stained from the battle that had ended him those many years ago. He never let go of the power, never let go of the very magic that had chosen her. The magic she did not want.

A vision of that red-haired girl ran through the gloom. Her joyful laughter ringing like little bells in the darkness. It was not her thought and she glanced up at the man. The grin on his face and the look in his eyes as he watched the dancing figure sent dread shooting down her spine.

"No." she said, voice pleading and desperate.

His grinned widened and he turned back to the woman. Thoughts that were no her own plagued her mind, shattered her already broken spirit. What he planned to do to the girl, what he had done in the past with one so similar. Years and years had passed and this cruel soul trapped within her still held on to that one thing he could never have and had taken anyway so early in life. That one thing that had started this whole mess. A girl with red-hair and sea-green eyes.

"I made her mine then. And she'll be mine in this life too." He spat and walked away leaving the pale woman chained and alone in the endless cold and endless darkness. Leaving her only with those wicked thoughts and phantom sensations from his memories.

The image of the girl ran by again.

"No," she whispered out as more flashed by, "no, no, no, no!"

The sounds, the glee he felt from her terror, the power, the satisfaction, the images he played out again and again in her mind.

She screwed her eyes shut, but nothing she did could block out what was in their own mind. Tears streamed down her face. Tears that burned as they rolled down her cheeks and bounced on the frozen floor. She folded in on herself and rocked back and forth. This was how her broke her the first time. Torturing her with her own memories and with his, twisting her thoughts till she didn't know what was her own anymore. It all blended together after years and years till all she remembered was the cold darkness and chains. She wished to fade and be rid of it all.

A faint, sweet whisper weaved around her. It came on occasion when the darkness pressed in and when the woman thought to let him have this world. It was not his soul, not his voice, the weaved around her. It was not hers either, but that of another. One that had been with her since she was born. A voice she had never forgotten despite forgetting who she was, who she had once been.

The woman focused on the sweet whispers. A cool embrace wrapped around her like a blanket, soothing her. It was not the biting, freezing cold that shook and rattled her bones, not the burning sensation that was the cold flame. No this gentle coolness settled over her like cool water on a hot day. She didn't know how she could feel it in the darkness, when ever it came. It settled her from within.

His voice faded, his memories and mocking thoughts drowned out and replaced by that soothing whisper. Her magic. This was her magic, not his, not the power that chose her, but the magic she had been born with. The magic that had flowed down through her families line. Her mother's gift to her.

The chains that bound her frosted over with a white snow. Something had shifted in the darkness. The woman did not know her name, did not know who she was or what fate had decided for her. She sat there listening and weeping softly to the sound of her mother's voice and the comforting embrace of her magic and knew, that despite it all she was not to end here. She could not end here else the burden be passed to another when the time came.

The woman had endured for so long. The shame, the torture, the blame, all of it she thought punishment for herself. She welcomed it. The time to endure was over, fate be damned. It wasn't supposed to be this way, she knew in her heart something went wrong. She shouldn't have even been in this bestial form that he often sat at the head of. If she wished to stop this mess before it began, if she wished to save another from this burden she had to get up. She had to fight.

The woman exhaled and slowly stood on shaky legs. A beat of life thrummed through her and her magic danced within her soul. She savored the feeling. Her chains cracked and shattered into fresh fallen snow around the darkness, specks of light against the black. Her feet stumbled at the first few steps. The woman crumpled to the floor as her legs gave out underneath her. How long had it been since she last walked? Her magic soothed the pain , whispering sweet guidance and urging her to get up. Get up. Fight for what's yours.

She slammed her fist on the frozen floor in frustration. Nothing was hers except this magic in her. She had nothing to claim.

This life is yours. This body is yours.

The whispers echoed faintly. The woman raised her head and looked forward. The whispers were right, his time ended the second the sword slit his throat in that battle. This was her life, her time. She would not give him another second of it.

A strained gasp left her lips as she forced herself up again. Step after step she moved forward slowly.

Her feet regained their sense and she strode determined into the darkness. The other power, his soul slithered and surrounded her. It prodded at her mind urging to be used as she walked deeper into the dark, searching.

She did not spare a thought to the other. She did not think, letting only the coolness of her own magic surround her, shield her. Only what was her would she embrace.

A wall of inky blackness rippled like water appeared in front of her. Glints of light reflected off the surface and the woman stopped. Nothing could be seen beyond it. The whispers had cut to silence.

The woman raised her hand in front of the inky wall. She could feel the quit thrumming of life beyond it, muted in this dark place where she stood. The waking world he kept her locked away from. The world he refused to let her see. Her world, her life, her time.

She stretched her hand into the blackness. It rippled and pulsed around her arm sucking around her skin and pulling her through to the world beyond. She had forgotten so much in the darkness. Everything, but his memories, and the moment her life shattered before her young eyes.

The woman walked forward never glancing back. The magic coiled and ready for whatever waited on the other side. And as she stepped through the blackness, as the light blinded her, her mother's voice whispered one last time,

This is your life. Claim it.

* * *

White. The world around her was white.

The wind howled in her ears. She was falling.

She flipped over through the air and spread her limbs.

Why was she falling?

How did she end up in the sky?

She did not know. She did not know anything.

The woman plummeted through the clouds.

A beautiful landscape opened up before her eyes. A place of snowcapped mountains and seas of trees running along the mountain bases and over the hills. She recognized this place.

She could not recall it's name.

A blast of wind sent her spinning through the air reminding the woman of her descent. Her eyes widened in panic at the motion before she steadied herself again, winter-blonde hair streaming out behind her.

She watched on unable to do anything as the ground became clearer. It reached up as she fell wanting to claim her.

Was this it?

Had she escaped that dark prison only to die here?

Everything blurred around her as the ground neared. The cold wind stinging her face and stealing tears from her eyes.

No, this couldn't be the end.

She roared out in defiance. Her throat protested from the sudden cry after remaining silent for so long.

She would not let it be her end.

A burning energy thrummed through her veins at her cry. She could see the branches of the trees now.

On instinct she shot her hands forward and a blast of snow and ice barreled through the branches. Everything froze and shattered into a pile beneath her.

Still she fell too fast.

Another blast of that magic added more snow to the pile.

Her last attempt as she crashed through the frozen branches and landed roughly in the meager pile she had managed to create. The sky above spun around her and she closed her eyes.

She needed to rest. Her muscles groaned out in relief as she relaxed and laid still in the snow. The heat of the air conflicted against the coolness of the snow. The clash of sensations reminded her that she survived. She could feel more than only the cold now.

She had made it out alive.

The forest resumed it's activity. She smiled at the sounds.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see something that should be tagged, speak and it will be done.

The valley hummed with the heat of summer. The sun had set moments ago leaving Anna to fumble around in the dark. The heat had quickly melted the snow that clung to her clothes and the humidity kept the fabric from drying completely.

Anna grumbled at the wet cloth clinging to her skin. Her feet stumbled over a stray tree root. What she wouldn’t give to have a lantern with her right now.

She didn’t know exactly where she was going. The town of Dalvarda sat somewhere in this valley and Anna had been pressed to find it before the light faded away. Now she could be going in circles and wouldn’t know. She sighed and wiped the sweat from her forehead. At least the sounds of the forest gave her some comfort in her wanderings.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small snowflake pendant. A gift from the dragon atop the North Mountain and her only reminder that it hadn’t been a hallucination. She rubbed it between her fingers. It was not much bigger than a coin and radiated an unnatural coolness despite the humid heat of the valley. True to the dragon’s word it did not melt.

A tree branch scratched her cheek as Anna felt her way in the dark.

A dragon. A living, dragon. She could hardly believe it. The stories passed down from generation to generation said that a nameless king had once slain all the dragons in his quest to attain some magic. His anger and irritation at not receiving the gift drove him mad and he sought to eradicate what he could not have. Had one beast survived the slaughter from so long ago?

Anna slid down a small decline in the land. No, the dragon was old but couldn’t be that old. It had mentioned family names she knew personally, and she doubted those names had been around back then.

_Did the town know exactly what lay at the top of the North Mountain? Is that why Hans was so invested in the place?_

She had so many questions, and only pieces of answers. It would be much easier if she could talk to Hans about it. Anna frowned at the idea and carefully felt her way around a fallen tree.

Her thumb rubbed across the pendant as she thought. Even if she felt comfortable enough to talk to Hans, she doubted he would give her an answer. Despite the fact they are to be married he seemed about as interested in her as he was the scraps of food left in the alleyways. If he didn’t want any part of the engagement at all then why bother with it. Anna wouldn’t complain if he called it off. Maybe she should call it off.

Thinking about it irritated her. All of this trouble for a debt her grandfather owed. If he were still alive, she’d have some words to say about having to be the one to pay it.

Her foot snagged on a hole and Anna yelped as she fell hard to the ground. Groaning she rolled over to stare up at the bits of sky between the trees. Perhaps she should stop and wait for daylight before trying to go any further.

The sounds of the night life in the forest stopped.

Sweat rolled down her forehead. Not good.

Even Anna knew if you walked alone and could hear the birds and bugs and other manner of life making noise you were alright. It was when all sound ceased that danger was near. Listening and watching in the natural world could save a life, or end it if ignored.

Anna wouldn’t ignore it, but she had no idea where to go. Slowly she stood to her feet and glanced around. Nothing stood out to her as recognizable.

She had only been in Dalvarda for two weeks and rarely ventured far into the trees unaccompanied. The townsfolk had done well to inform her of the wolves that liked to roam and assured her they stayed away from town.

The moonlight that filtered through the trees gave her some form of light to see by but it was hardly enough to comfort her. Bad. This was very bad. She took a step forward, then another. Maybe she should climb a tree and wait out the night there.

_Wolves couldn’t climb, right?_

Branches snapped in the distance making Anna jump. Her breath started to pick up pace as her heart thundered on in her chest. Should she run? Where would she even run to? She didn’t even know what was out there or where it was. If she ran in a random direction how would she know she wasn’t heading straight for what lurked in the darkness.

Anna picked up the pendant from the ground and clutched it tightly. Running would likely get her killed. No the smart option would be to find somewhere safe to wait or keep going. Her feet picked up on their previous path and she prayed to the gods everything would be alright.

Another twig snapped.

Anna glanced back once over her shoulder as if that would do her any good in the dark.

A hard body slammed into Anna’s side sending her sprawling to the ground. The panic set in and Anna braced herself for the flesh tearing pain that she thought would come next and began prying and pulling herself out from under what lay atop her.

The weight lifted in a hurry. Anna cracked open an eye in confused. If she were being hunted she would be dead or in a severe amount of pain right now. But what had run into her wasn’t an animal.

Anna stared in surprise. Seated to her left was a woman. A very naked woman.

Her pale skin was covered in bruises and scratches. Blood dripped down from a bite wound on her left arm and her blonde hair was ragged and strewn with twigs and leaves from running through the trees.

“Are you alright?” Anna found herself scrambling to her feet at the sight of the injuries. Her head whipped around terrified. Anna found herself momentarily lost at the sight of her eyes. The were an eerily familiar shade of blue.

The terror on her face evident in the dark. “It’s okay, it’s okay.” Anna spoke quietly and tried to sooth the obviously confused and lost woman. She didn’t recognize her. Even in her short stay in town Anna had done her best to familiarize herself with the locals.

The women stood quickly at Anna’s voice and scrambled backwards.

Slowly Anna raised her hands to unfasten her cloak, wincing and muttering an apology when the woman backed away another step. She tried to keep her movements obvious as she removed her cloak and held it out to the other woman.

“Here, take it,” Anna whispered.

The woman glanced at the wet, blood-stained cloak and then back to Anna’s face unsure. Anna took a small step forward and stretched out her hand a bit farther. When the woman didn’t take the cloak and didn’t back away Anna took another step forward and another.

“I’m sorry that it’s wet and dirty,” Anna said, “but it’s all I can offer right now.”

She didn’t back away as Anna stepped closer still. Her head titled slightly to the side as if she couldn’t quite figure out what Anna was saying. Definitely not a local then.

Anna stopped in front of her and glanced at the blood running down her arm. She grimaced at it and looked back up into her blue eyes. “Is it bad? Does it hurt?” She followed Anna’s line of site to her arm and gently touched the blood that ran from her wound. Did she not know she was bleeding?

“I guess it’s not so bad if you didn’t notice it.” Anna smiled weekly. “Come with me back to town once and I can help get you cleaned up. Please, may I?” Anna gently gestured to the cloak and back to the woman. The only response she got was a confused look and Anna went to wrap the cloak around her.

As the arms and fabric began to drape around her body, the woman started to panic and Anna quickly did her best to reassure her that everything was okay. Her soft spoken voice and gentle hands worked enough to keep her from running off and Anna managed to gently clasp the cloak in place.

“There, how’s that?” Anna stepped back.

The woman glanced down at the fabric around her in surprise. She fiddled with the edges and while it was wet she accepted Anna’s act of kindness.

She turned to Anna and smiled faintly with a nod. Anna beamed happily.

“My name’s Anna. I’m new to this place too.”

The woman didn’t respond.

“And what’s your name,” Anna asked hopeful, “You do have a name right?”

The strangled noise that came out of the woman’s mouth sounded painful and raspy. She tried again and only a whispering groan came out. She frowned and shook her head to answer.

“So you don’t have a name?”

Another shake of her head.

“Guess we’ll have to come up with one for you on the road then.” Anna turned and began walking.

“How does Birgitte sound?”

The woman wasn’t following her. Anna spun around in surprise.

“Aren’t you coming?”

The woman glanced to the side scanning the dark. Her gaze darted between the trees before back at Anna. She looked again through the trees opposite the direction Anna had started in and jogged off.

“W-wait, where-!” Anna called out after her. The woman paused and turned back to Anna. She tilted her head when she saw the red-head hadn’t moved. One jerk of her head was all it took for Anna to get the message and follow the stranger.

Anna followed as best she could through the trees. The woman moved swiftly and confidently as if the dark didn’t hinder her. She ran ahead, glancing back every so often to keep track of Anna. The red-head had no doubt she looked like a clumsy fool fumbling around and tripping over everything in the dark. Why were they even running?

She kept moving ahead not noticing the woman had stopped. Blue eyes watched as the red-head ran past her for a few yards before slowing down.

She jogged back over and hunched over panting.

“How about Diana?” The woman grimaced at the name and shook her head. Anna would have to keep trying.

The woman smiled at her antics and motioned for her to follow as they turned around the tree and started heading left. Anna kept trying new names as they walked. Each one met with the shake of a head.

“Well, just pick one so I can call you something.” the women turned and raised a brow waiting for Anna to decide. “Joan.” The women mulled it over for a second before deciding it was the best option the red head said and reluctantly agreed.

“Finally.”

Lanterns glowed faintly in the distance. The town. Somehow this woman, Joan, had pointed her in the direction of town.

“How did you know?”

She shrugged and smiled before turning toward town, motioning for Anna to follow.

Together they walked peacefully the rest of the way through the trees. The sounds of the night life in the forest had faded the closer they went. Anna breathed a sigh of relief at finally being out of the trees. She loved nature and all that, but not when she was alone and in an unfamiliar place. Especially at night and unprepared.

“Welcome to the town of Dalvarda.” Anna gestured to the buildings ahead of them. “I never thought I’d be so happy to see this place again.”

Joan stopped at the stone path leading into town.

“Aren’t you coming?”

The wary look etched on the blonde’s face gave her the answer. Anna gently grabbed her hand and stepped on the path. “Don’t worry, the people here a much nicer than whatever creatures are back there.” Anna couldn’t quite tell if her words were understood, but the woman hesitantly followed her onto the path and into town.

Most of the streets were empty this late at night. Only a few stragglers and drunks lumbered about in the streets or passed out in the alleyways. Anna made sure to avoid those people and kept walking. A warm bath and some proper clothes would be a good place to start in helping her new friend. And a good night’s sleep was well in order for them both. She could deal with Hans in the morning.

She led her through the streets toward the Red Frog Inn. Not the fanciest one in town, but it was decent. Anna knew she wouldn’t draw any unwanted attention here and would be dealt with swiftly and little too no problems. Joan made sure to keep her cloak held closed as they entered the building.

Anna paid no mind to the few people littering the taproom and approached the man behind the counter.

“Well, if it in’t the princess! The town was about ta go out lookin’ for ye ‘n the mornin’.” The innkeeper smiled at seeing the young woman. His accent was heavy, but not unpleasant. In the two weeks Anna had been in Dalvarda she found herself listening to the innkeeper, Ulfred, tell stories here at the Red Frog almost daily. Most of it was nonsense but he did well enough to make sure Anna was taken care of in town, pointing her to the best bakeries and what areas to avoid at night. Dalvarda was relatively peaceful, but even then there were times and places fighting and shady business took place. She learned quickly to mind her own business outside of her own kingdom.

“Yeah, well you know me I always show up last minute.” Anna shrugged. Joan shifted a step closer obviously uneasy about something.

“So,” Ulfred asked, “who’s your friend?”

Anna blinked and looked up to Joan who tensed ever so slightly.

“Joan.”

He looked between the two women and chuckled, “At least your prince let’s ye off the chain to have some fun once in awhile. Right, lass?”

Anna flushed a bright red and vehemently denied what he implied.”No-it’s not-you see-I just-”

“Relax, lass I’m only teasin’. I must say you’ve got good taste though. Now what can I do for ye and your friend?”

“A room please, and maybe some bandages and spare clothes if you have any.”

His eyes brows rose and he looked more closely at their appearance. The dark stains became evident in the taproom lighting.

“Dear gods, what happened to you lasses?”

Anna stumbled over her words again as she quickly tried to come up with a response. She couldn’t vary well tell the truth about how her dress ended up stained with blood. Even if someone would believe her story, she made a promise not to speak of what she saw.

“Ú-úlfr.” the woman beside Anna answered. Her voice came out broken and raspy, barely more than a whisper. She grimaced at the almost painful sound.

Ulfred nodded in understanding. If he was surprised at the old language he didn’t show it.“Ah, wolves. Nasty creatures always causing trouble. Glad ye both made into town in one piece, or mostly one piece.” Anna chuckled nervously.

“Y-yeah.”

“Why don’ you both follow me to the back and we’ll get ye set up with a washbasin and some new clothes. I think we got a spare tunic or two.”

He led them around the counter toward a door at the back where supplies and other goods were stored. He scanned the shelves before reaching up and pulling to bundles down and handed them to Anna and Joan.

“Now they might not fit perfectly but I suppose they’re better than no clothes at all.” Joan flushed and quickly held the cloak closed again with one hand.

Ulfred turned to the shelf behind him and bulled down a box that held some bandages and a few salves. “Will this do?”

Anna glanced at the contents briefly and nodded. She wasn’t an expert on caring for injuries, but she had gotten enough scrapes and bruises to know the basics. She hoped the bite on the blonde beside her wasn’t as bad as it looked in the dark.

Ulfred led them down a hall to a room adjacent the kitchen. He apologized for the washroom not being anything more than just a wooden tub and some rags. Anna assured him it would do just fine.

“Alright, then I’ll let ye two get cleaned up and I’ll send word to yer prince lettin’ him know yer safe an’ sound.”

Anna thanked him again as he left down the hall. Her shoulder slumped forward when the door clicked shut and she exhaled slowly. Thank the gods for people like Ulfred. She doubted anyone else would have helped with so few questions.

“Alright,” she turned and faced Joan who had been looking curiously at herself in the mirror. The way she gently touched over her nose and turned her head this way made Anna giggle. She looked like she hadn’t seen her own reflection before.

“Let’s clean you up.”

Joan turned and nodded once. The cloak dropped to the floor a moment later.

Anna could barely think. Deep bruises dotted the pale skin, and she could count each and everyone of her ribs. Her wrists and ankles were rubbed raw where a band might have once been. The bite on her upper arm had stopped bleeding and didn’t look nearly as deep as Anna had thought it would be. It hardly seemed to be an issue anymore.

The real shock came when Anna had begun to help clean the twigs and leaves and other forest things out of her blonde hair. Her ears were pointed. Her hands had stopped their movement as she stared at the revelation. Joan wasn’t human. But she couldn’t be anything else right? The fae and other creature of magic had faded and disappeared when the magic did. Only glimpses were ever seen and even then they were hunted for sport.

Dragons. Magic. Fae. All of the discoveries were giving her a headache. She swayed and grasped the edge of the tub to steady herself. Three days ago she wouldn’t have believe it. Three day ago the thought of magic had been a mere fantasy. Sure, she knew it existed once and that it still did in small amounts and things that couldn’t be explained by other means. But dragons? The beasts that had been slain over a thousand years ago? And running into a fae not a day later than meeting the dragon. Anna placed a hand on her head as it throbbed. She supposed discovering that a stranger she picked up in the woods turned out to be fae was the least shocking thing she had witnessed in the past few days.

Joan turned and glanced at Anna clearly confused as to why she stopped. She spun around in concern seeing the pain laced across her face. A pale hand gently touched Anna’s shoulder and she looked up.

“It’s okay. I’m okay,” Anna assured.

Joan didn’t believe her but allowed Anna to turn her back around and finish combing out her blonde hair.

Anna had no problem if this woman is one of the fae. What worried her were the others in town. Lately, things out of the normal, things that were believed to be unnatural or had magic were often killed before given a chance to explain or flee. Anna swallowed stiffly. Would they do the same to Joan? What if she wasn’t actually fae and this was a trick of her mind. She had to confirm it.

“A-are you,”Anna spoke quietly, afraid to even ask, “fae?”

She nodded once.

“D-do you know what that could mean?”

A shake of her head had Anna frowning. How would she explain exactly what that could mean for her. Anna barely understood it herself. Back in Arendelle nobody really spoke out against magic, or hunted anything that wasn’t for food or a threat. She couldn’t say the same for Hans or the people of Dalvarda.

Joan picked up on what Anna struggled to explain and exhaled sadly.

Anna watched silently as she pulled away from her hands and stepped out of the tub. Her hands quickly did up her hair in a single braid that managed to cover most of her ears. Blue eyes blinked in surprise for a moment and glanced at the now braided hair as if she didn’t fully understand what she had just done.

Anna placed a hand on her shoulder and tried to give her a reassuring smile. Nobody else could know.

Despite meeting Joan only a short while ago, Anna felt oddly attached. The fae could barely talk, and the words she did say were old and barely recognizable, yet she could understand what the people around her were saying. Everything looked new to her like she had stepped in from another time and perhaps she had. Nobody knows what happened to the fae and the few rare sighting didn’t give any insight to how they lived. If they even lived at all. Anna could be looking at the last one for all she and the world knew.

The blonde stepped away and grabbed a bundle of clothes. Anna watched her, eyes drawn to the strange scar between her shoulder blade and left arm. That same eerily familiar feeling from earlier overcame her and she shivered. Her head throbbed again.

One thing at a time. She’d have to deal with one thing at a time. Her sea-green eyes turned to the tub. Getting clean would be a great first step. Anna removed her own dress and washed as best she could.

The spare tunic and pants Ulfred had given her fit loosely. One size too big but manageable. Her dress was thrown in the corner along with her cloak. They would probably have to be thrown out.

Her own hair she put up in twin braids and smiled satisfied. At least she was no longer in a wet dress, but the humidity still made everything feel damp. She’d never get used to it.

A knock sounded on the door.

“I’ve got some hot food for ye when you’re done then I can show ya to your room fer the night.” Ulfred called.

“Thank you.” Anna called back.

Her gaze turned to the woman who had been facing the wall to give Anna some privacy while she cleaned herself up. The clothes she wore hung loosely off her body, much too big for her. More than Anna’s own. She looked small underneath the baggy clothes. Smaller than before but her eyes were bright at the thought of a hot meal. She motioned to the door eagerly.

Anna laughed lightly, “Alright then mysterious stranger. Let’s go eat.”

The chose a table in the corner of the room. The Red Frog only had a few patrons seated throughout the taproom this late at night but Anna didn’t want to chance being bothered or spooking her new companion.

She waved to Ulfred. He waved back and brought over a bowl of stew and some bread. Anna’s mouth watered at the smell. It had been a few days since she last ate anything.

“I’m a princess ya know.” Anna spoke after a few mouthfuls. She had meant it to spark a conversation or anything to break the silence. Joan looked up from where she stared curiously at her own bowl.

A faint smile and nod was her only response.

Joan stirred her stew idly as a silence fell between them.

“Do you know where you came from?”

Her hand stopped stirring. Anna watched curiously as blue eyes shifted ever so slightly, searching. She shrugged, sent an apologetic look Anna’s way and started stirring again.

“I guess that makes two of us then.”

A loud laugh sounded from one of the rooms upstairs.

Anna shifted in her seat and dipped her wooden spoon into the bowl.

What would Hans say if he knew. Would he send Joan off to the dungeons or ignore her like he does Anna. Maybe he would be relieved that she finally had someone else to bother with her questions and antics. She could never tell with him.

Hans had to know what stayed atop the North Mountain. It would make sense seeing how invested he was in Dalvarda even when he was away. But why? What history did his family have with the dragon? How far back did it go? The dragon had to be older than half the world, but it seemed so young when she talked to the beast.

Her brows furrowed. And what it said, ‘Endless Summer is at it’s end’. It wouldn’t be an endless summer if it ended, right?

“I suppose you wouldn’t know anything about dragons or an endless summer would you?” Anna offhandedly asked not expecting a response.

Her eyes widened in surprise as Joan lit up from across the table for a moment. The knowing smile on her face quickly turned to a confused frown as she scratched her head trying to remember. She turned back to Anna and shrugged, shaking her head with an apologetic grimace. The knowledge of knowing was there, but any of the specifics of knowing faded like mist. Each time a thought formed it vanished before she could process what it was.

Anna set her spoon down. “You don’t-you don’t remember anything do you?”

Joan shook her head.

Of course she didn’t. That would make things too easy.

“That’s alright. You can stick with me while I’m her in town until you get your memories back if you’d like.” It was the best Anna could offer her.

She grinned at the idea revealing slightly elongated canines. Anna reacted quickly covering Joan’s mouth and scarring her to the point she almost fell out of her seat.

“Sorry, but maybe don’t smile-er-don’t grin like that around other people.” Anna quickly explained quietly. The fear guttered out in the woman’s eyes and she nodded grimly.

Anna removed her hand and they sat back down.

The sudden awkward tension left Anna fidgeting in her seat. She stared at her half eaten meal.

Anna wanted to fiddle with the pendant but upon changing clothes she had come to realize she had dropped it. Probably when she collided with the fae in the woods. She’d have to go look for it another time. Being left without had her feeling empty.

An annoyed huff broke Anna out of her thoughts and she glanced up to see Joan dramatically roll her eyes and start eating her stew in an attempt to break the awkward mood. Anna giggled at the act. She would enjoy getting to know this stranger even if thinking about it sent a throb of pain shooting through her skull.

“Hey, quit shoving!” a hushed shout came from the stairs that led to the rooms above. Loud thumps and shuffling followed by more complaints had Anna glancing to the door as it opened.

Two men nearly fell out of the door way one burly and blonde, the other built like a mountain with shaggy brown hair and a beard.

“Geez, Sven I know you’re hungry, but you coulda waited till morning. It’s the middle of the night.” The blonde man yawned and started heading to the counter. Sven briefly scanned the room for a seat and then his eyes jolted to the back corner again when he got a glimpse of pale skin and blonde hair. He quickly grabbed the other man and started shaking his arm to gain his attention. At first the blonde man tried to jerk his arm away from Sven, but he wasn’t having any of it.

“Alright, alright, what is-” he stopped talking as he finally noticed what Sven grabbed his attention for, “-it.”

Anna narrowed her eyes and glared at the men who stood in the middle of the taproom and stared at her and the stranger. This couldn’t be good.

The woman noticed Anna’s stare behind her and glanced cautiously over her shoulder. Her body tensed at the sight of the two mountain men and when her blue eyes finally looked up and met brown the man’s mouth fell open in disbelief and his companions eyes widened.

“Elsa?”

* * *

That name. It sounded familiar. Were it not for the strange eyes staring directly at her, Joan might have bother to question why it sounded familiar.

The uncertainty and fear came crawling back in the longer she stared back at the men. She wanted to run. Her body tensed ready to bolt at the slightest of threats.

A warm hand grasped her own shaking one.

“Do you know them?”

She didn’t know them. She didn’t know anything. She wanted to speak, to voice that she did not know. The words stuck in her throat as they always had since she came to this place. They wouldn’t have understood her words anyway.

Anna took the silence for a no and glared back at the men.

“We don’t want any trouble. Leave us, please.”

The men shared a glance before the blonde one stepped forward and introduced himself.

“We’re not here to cause trouble. My name’s Kristoff and this is Sven.” He gestured to the man beside him. “We- I can explain.”

Anna raised a brow and waited.

Kristoff faltered for a second, “We, it’s kinda like, hm now that I think about it I might sound crazy trying to explain.”

Anna shared a look with Joan-Elsa.

“We don’t have to listen to him if you don’t want to.” Anna rubbed her thumb along her hand to reassure her.

She looked at the hand atop her own. This Kristoff said he didn’t plan to cause trouble. If that held to be true then there would be no reason not to hear him out. Even if his explanation made him sound crazy, she doubted it would be any crazier than what she did know.

A tingling sensation ran through down her arm and into her fingertips. She pulled her hands away off the table and folded them in her lap sending an apologetic smile to Anna.

He promised an explanation. It would be better than none at all.

“Do you want to hear him out?”

Joan, or was it Elsa now, froze in place.

Kristoff took the lack of answer as an invitation to join them.

“Okay, we’re just gonna grab some food then we can talk.” Kristoff turned and walked with Sven over to Ulfred who had been keeping an eye on the situation.

“Are you gonna be okay with this?” Anna turned back to Elsa.

Her eyes were trained on the hands in her lap as she fought to calm down. Pale shoulders lifted in a shrug in response to Anna’s question.

She wished she knew something, anything to give her a hold on the situation. Ever since she had walked from the cold dark place and into the world everything felt strangely familiar and so very new. It made no sense.

Elsa knew how to do things, but she couldn’t remember learning them, like braiding her own hair. Her hands had moved on their own and it wasn’t until she had stopped that Elsa realized what she did. And this thing inside her, thrumming and alive, begged to be let out.

Her magic.

The Other magic too.

She wanted to forget about it all. The nightmare inside her own mind. The one she couldn’t explain or remember how it started.

Anna shuffled and moved to sit beside Elsa. Kristoff and Sven joined a minute later setting down their own bowls and a bunch of carrots.

“Don’t ask.” Kristoff stated noticing the strange look Anna gave them.

“Tell me,” He started sitting down at the table. Sven beside him bit loudly into one of the carrots, “who are you and what do you know about the fae beside you?”

The energy in the taproom shifted. Kristoff spoke low enough so nobody would accidentally overhear him, but something had changed. The air itself grew hostile.

Sven elbowed him in the gut at his lack of tact.

Anna narrowed her eyes.

“Who are you and what do you know,” she challenged back.

“Whoa, hold on there feisty-pants,” he winced rubbing his sore ribs, “I only asked to see if I could skip any bits.”

Elsa glanced awkwardly between the three of them. Not good. The tension made her skin crawl. She didn’t want any fighting. Not here. Not now. Not until she had a handle on this thing inside her. Her magic pulsed and coiled back in response to the hostility of the room. She wanted to run away. She was good at that.

No. No she isn’t.

He is the one good at running. He is the one that takes what he wants and leaves her to clean up the mess. The oily feeling of the Other circled around her magic. It wanted to be let out too. She couldn’t let it out. Wouldn’t ever touch it. Only her own and rarely that.

A glint of frost dusted her fingertips.

“S-stöðva.” she muttered out weakly. They didn’t hear her. She could see them arguing, back and forth. Sven looked like he was trying to stop them.

“Stöðva.” she whispered out again. Even if they did hear her, she knew they wouldn’t understand. It wasn’t their word, was it? Everything was a mess in her mind. The scene began fading in and out before her eyes.

The lights of the taproom swam and shifted like snow in the wind. Elsa could feel the cold wind even now. Was this a memory or one of his twisted visions? Could he still manipulate her mind even when he sat chained?

Men stood in a circle around two figures. Soldiers. Anna was there arguing with someone she couldn’t see. The soldiers blocked her view. But it couldn’t be Anna Anna was in the taproom.

The sound of a sword being pulled from it’s sheath sent chills down her spine.

His voice whispered in her ears.

_I made her mine then._

“Stop!” she cried out brokenly hands clutching at her head. That was the word. Their word. She knew by the way the arguing stopped and silence rang in her ears.

“Stop, stop, stop.” she whispered out like a prayer. A tether to this place. It had to be real. She refused to believe it was anything else. She had to be here in this strange town.

The cold. She could feel the cold creeping up her limbs, making her question everything again.

She had gotten out. She had to have gotten out of that dark place.

The oily feeling of the Other crept along inside her veins. Slowly moving up and back down, like a pacing animal. It wanted out. He wanted out.

_She’ll be mine in this life too._

Elsa felt like she were being suspended in air and falling again all at once. Up or down she couldn’t tell. Her head spun and swayed. She could see figures moving about around her. She didn’t recognize them. Their voices were all muffled and distorted like her head was underwater.

She wanted it all to stop. All the spinning, the magic writhing around in her veins. The glimpses of snow and armor. Red-hair.

“Stop. Stop.” she muttered out weaker each time.

She needed someone to make it stop.

And for a moment, someone did.


End file.
